1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a telephone system for remotely obtaining audible speech of a directory telephone number and/or name (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "special service information" or "DN") of a previous caller stored digitally or alphanumerically in a data memory at a selected local telephone station. More particularly, this invention relates to a telephone station set which automatically recalls digitally or alphanumerically stored special service information from a data memory, converts the special service information into synthesized speech and communicates audible speech of the special service information to a caller at a remote telephone station, in response to a predetermined "DN command code" keyed-in on a keypad at the remote telephone station by the caller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention disclosed in the Continuation-In-Part application of Morris Reese, Ser. No.07/691,492, entitled "Apparatus For Use With Caller ID System", filed on Apr. 25, 1991, discloses a telephone apparatus for receiving, displaying and storing to memory a calling party's directory telephone number and/or name sent from telephone or cellular company terminating central office Stored program Controlled Switching (SPCS) equipment responsively to a called party who subscribes to any Custom Local Area Signalling System CLASS) service, i.e. Caller ID, Automatic Recall, Who Called Me?, Automatic Callback and Screening List to name a few, which discloses a calling party's directory telephone number and/or name to the called party. The telephone apparatus also permits the called party to press a recall button on the apparatus to "recall a stored DN from a memory" for display in a LED display unit built into or connected to the apparatus, and permits the called party to press a digit on the telephone apparatus keypad corresponding to a stored directory telephone number to be automatically dialed to return a missed call.
The invention disclosed in the Re-Issue application of Morris Reese, (serial No. not received from patent office prior to the filing of this present application), entitled "Enhanced Calling Number Delivery Service and System", filed on Apr. 8, 1991, discloses a telephone system and process for transmitting a caller's directory telephone number and/or name, or a keyed-in telephone number and/or name, over a called customer busy, idle or inuse telephone line to be received and stored to an improved telephone apparatus for "later recall, display and automatic or manual dialing of the stored directory or keyed-in telephone number to return a missed call".
While a technical advance is achieved by each telephone apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned inventions, both telephone apparatuses requires on-hand operation by the called customer, e.g. to press the recall button on the telephone apparatus, to "recall a stored directory or keyed-in telephone number from memory" to review a missed call.